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Wednesday, April 30th 2008

12:00 AM

Your Dog The Social Animal?


Did you know that dogs love to socialize? Taking your dog to different places can be such a great adventure. When interacting with other dogs or people, your dog will develop the social skills needed to be a better pet.

These trips can stimulate them both mentally and physically.
Of course it is best if your dog has had some sort of basic training. It is
important for you to have control of your dog in these situations. Once your dog has had basic obedience training you can more easily allow them to socialize with other dogs.

You will have total control over them, thus avoiding any unpleasant mishaps. As you take your dog to more places, you will start to see an even better behaved dog. More socializing leads to a more manageable dog.

Another benefit to socializing your dog is less boredom. With the proper amount of interaction with other dogs and people, your dog should be more content at home and less likely to attempt escaping or running around unnecessarily.

Giving your dog a variety of experiences with different situations is an
important part of being a responsible owner. Also, by being together in a variety of places and social interactions your bond deepens. So take your dog to as many places as possible. Allow your dog to develop into a confident individual and your relationship will blossom....

So often, the way a dog responds to environmental stimuli is a product of owner training and management, or lack thereof. No matter when you adopt your dog, you can apply canine socialization principles to help him or her be a more stable, happy, trustworthy companion.

Socialization does not end at puppyhood. While the foundation for good behavior is laid during the first few months, good owners encourage and reinforce social skills and responsiveness to commands throughout the dog's life.

If you are a dog owner, you are probably aware of the importance of socializing your puppy. Dogs have a sensitive period for socialization between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. This means that pleasant exposures to people, other dogs and other animals during this time will have long-lasting influences on the sociability of your dog. Well socialized dogs tend to be friendlier and less fearful of the kinds of individuals they were socialized to.

Veterinarians, dog trainers and other dog professionals urge new puppy owners to take their dogs to puppy classes and to provide other socializing experiences. Although this is excellent advice, a puppy class by 4 months of age or a basic training class at 6 months shouldn't be the end of a dog's social training.

Don't underestimate how important it is to continue to socialize your dog well into adulthood. We've seen quite a few dogs that seem to have been well socialized early in life, were friendly and accepting of people and other dogs and then began to react with threats or aggression during social encounters. These dogs had no traumatic or frightening experiences but became fearful and/or aggressive later, usually beginning around 8 months to 2 years of age.

If you're bringing a new adult dog into your home, your major concern is to check out how well socialized the dog is and to strengthen any weak spots. For example, if you find that this dog is a bit uncomfortable with men in hats, then you must make a concerted effort to help your new dog to learn to love men wearing hats.

Invite over one or two friends at a time to meet your new dog. Ask them to bring hats, but not wear them. Have your dog on a leash and have everyone take a seat. Have one friend (without his hat on) hand-feed the dog his dinner. When your dog is comfortable, have your friend show the hat and feed the dog. Then ask him to casually put on the hat and feed the dog.

Make an effort to invite over as many as possible of your male friends, one or two at a time, to follow this procedure. Pretty soon your dog will be searching out men wearing hats because he has learned they are a pretty generous bunch.

Socialization is ongoing for the rest of your dog's life. Your dog may have gone to a puppy class (yippee!), and a lucky dog is walked to the park each day. But, while this dog has met a number of people and a number of dogs, it is also likely that he will meet those same familiar faces each and every day. To keep your dog socialized, he must continue to meet new dogs and new people. The two best ways to do this are walking a different route each day and having parties in your home. Problems Caused by Failure to Socialize

Socializing your dog is so easy and so much fun that a lot of people fail to take it seriously. However, without adequate socialization, your dog may become fearful and is likely to develop two of the most serious and hard-to-resolve problems, biting and fighting.



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Tuesday, April 1st 2008

5:21 PM

What you need to know about Breeders

Perhaps you watched Rin Tin Tin on TV when you were a kid and still yearn for a gorgeous German Shepherd.  Or maybe your neighbor down the street has a breathtaking Dobe who’s got you longing for a big dog of your own.

 You’ve taken to heart the instructions that every dog expert proclaims:  buy a purebred dog only from a reputable breeder.  That’s great advice – but how can you tell whether a breeder is reputable?  And how do you find such a breeder in the first place?   Here are some answers to both questions.

 
Read the classifieds with care.  “Most serious breeders have waiting lists for their pups and don’t need to advertise in the newspaper,” says SallyMae, who lives in Sherrard, Illinois.  “But some beginners who don’t have the market that long-time breeders do sometimes do advertise … and beginners can have very good dogs and be responsible, caring breeders.”

But if you decide to visit a show and talk with the breeders there, if you like dogs with excessive slope of some American show dogs and the roaching of some German show dogs. Time your approach carefully.  SallyMae recommends that waiting until those breeders are through showing and have begun to pack up to leave.  “Breeders are usually stressed and busy prior to a show,” she explains.  “Afterwards, they’re more relaxed and have time to talk.”

 Ask the right questions.  Once you’ve identified some prospective breeders who have puppies available, make an appointment to visit them at their homes.  But before you lose your heart (and your cash) to a puppy, ask the breeder some questions.  SallyMae recommends asking the following four questions:

 
1) May I see the dam?  The dam is the mother of the puppies, and her
temperament is a good indicator of what her puppies’ temperaments will be.

 
2)  Do you health test?  A reputable breeder will test her breeding dogs for health problems that are prevalent in that particular breed, and will show you the certificates indicating that the dogs are healthy.

 
3)  What is your guarantee?  A good breeder is willing to take a puppy back at any time in the dog’s life, though not for a refund.  She’ll also give you 72 hours to have your own veterinarian give the puppy a check-up, and will give you a replacement puppy if the vet finds a
major problem.

 
4)  Will you be available to answer questions and for guidance?  A good
breeder is more than happy to be an information  resource for the puppy’s entire life.


Do visit local breeders, and find out for yourself what is available locally. But even more importantly, you will gain the experience of dealing with breeders, get used to their lingo and excuses, get to know different dogs and their behavior, temperament, disposition, sizes, colors, etc. If you are a good observer and listener, every visit will be a badly needed education, and the honest breeder will appreciate your efforts.

Conformation or temperament? Conformation (color, shape, size) is easy to discuss and to form an opinion about. Any child can apprehend it and express a preference. Unfortunately, temperament (character, disposition, composure, moral and mental constitution peculiar to and individual, attitude of mind, hardness, willingness to work, protectiveness, trainability, courage, eagerness to please, calmness, loyalty) are invisible and impossible to judge at a glance. It takes time and depth of understanding to assess and consequently discuss a dog's temperament. Most breeders concentrate on conformation (show) features and are therefore seldom qualified to discuss a
dog's temperament (as are veterinarians).

Your solution to this problem: Interact with the dogs directly and simply get a gut feeling for their temperament. It's certainly more reliable then anything any human (breeder) can tell you.

Dogs do not lie, only people do. Always insist on direct contact with the
breeder's dogs and observe their behavior (temperament), then decide if that is what you like to live with. All the papers in the world can't beat a personal encounter.

Do listen to all the claims of the breeder and then insist on seeing the
proof, especially hip certificates and FCI recognized papers, trial and show participation and titles/ratings earned (don't bother with AKC / CKC or similar registration papers, they're worthless anyway). Honest breeders will have all of those papers ready and be happy at the opportunity to show them to you. 

Do answer the breeders questions! You may not be aware of it, but you do need the breeder's expertise, now for getting the best possible match, and later for getting all kinds of advise on raising, training, dealing with health and obedience problems, etc. Any breeder not worried about the right match or whether you are sufficiently qualified to take one of his/her babies, is likely in it for the money, which is equal to running a puppy mill.

Do your homework and sort out the contradictions. Different breeders can have different opinions on the same subject (and disregard anything one breeder has to say about another breeder, they are likely old enemies). You simply have to spend the time and dig up the truth on any contradictory claims wherever you can find the answer, library, internet, etc. After all, you are about to commit yourself to sharing a major part of your future time, money, emotions, feelings and well being with another living being.

If it doesn't work out, it's your loss and emotional pain you will have to endure. An honest breeder has already invested an unbelievable amount of time, energy and money in his/her dogs, the least you must do, is sort out your priorities and know what you want to do with the puppy.

See the way it was: Old Fashion Large German Shepherds

 
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
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Tuesday, March 4th 2008

3:06 PM

Do you Know the pet laws of your State?

Simple joys of pet ownership can be marred by ignorance of the many laws set up to protect pets, their owners and the public at-large.

 If “China”  barks one too many times at 3 a.m. in the morning, or playfully nips the neighbor’s heels, her owners may find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Many animal owners are unfamiliar with existing laws and bring their pets home with little thought about the potential legal issues that could arise as soon as they step out of the Breeders Kennel.

 Ignorance of the law is no defense for an offender, so getting familiar with some basic rules can help keep the courtroom at bay.

 Laws designed to protect animals and control their nuisance to society vary by city and state. Pet owners are obligated to provide basics for their pets such as food, shelter, exercise and healthcare. Owners must also acquire necessary licensing and identification. Rabies shots for dogs are required in states like California. Owners are also generally required to keep their dogs on a leash of no more than eight feet in public unless in designated dog exercise areas. Owners must also clean up after their pets.

 Most states and localities have some form of ordinance governing common offenses that disproportionately affect dog owners, such as excessive barking, requiring dogs to be on leashes, bites, spaying and neutering. In Massachusetts, neighbors can file a formal complaint to the city council about a dog that is causing a nuisance because of excessive barking. The council holds a hearing and can issue an order to stop the nuisance and even remove the dog from the owner.

 Some states rely on general nuisance or noise ordinances to make the owner responsible for their pet’s barking. In some instances, allowing a dog to bark or causing loud noises after 11 p.m. may result in fines or arrest if the problem is not addressed after repeated police warnings.

 Other common complaints aimed mostly at dogs include dogs that run at-large, damage property and threaten people. Some state and local regulations also dictate the number of dogs and cats allowed to live in each household.

 When dogs bite, an owner is liable if their unreasonable carelessness caused the injury, or if they knew the dog had a tendency to cause that kind of injury. A state statute may make the owner liable whether or not they knew the dog would bite.



www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
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Friday, February 1st 2008

8:05 PM

The Different Types Of German Shepherds Are You Aware?

The different lines of German Shepherds

Through breeding experiments, us breeders have been able to create variations of the German Shepherd. Such experiments gave way to new kinds of German Shepherd dogs, one of which is the white German Shepherd. But in spite of these great results, there are some people who wish to stick to its roots by breeding old-fashion German Shepherds which are larger than your usual German Shepherd. These purists argue that though these experiments can produce German shepherds with special attributes, the qualities which gave the breed its reputation such as intelligence may disappear.

For those who do not know anything about German Shepherds, you may think that all of these dogs are one and the same. They are not. In fact, there are many lines of this breed and the old-fashion is just one of them. Each line was created for a specific purpose and these are:

European working line. This line of German Shepherds is bred mainly to gain the working traits rather than the looks. Because of this, the appearance of these dogs may differ.

European show line. This line was designed for breeders who are after the appearance of the dog rather than its working traits.

North American show lines. This line was designed also more for the looks of the dog but with certain variations. These include sloped backs and sharper angulation. There are now debates on whether this line should be considered as a different breed of dog altogether. But breeders of this line argue that though there are great changes in the appearance of the dog, the working attributes have not been changed.

To see the different types of German Shepherds click on this link:

Appearance:

Aside from the lines stated above, there is also another line which is called the old-fashion German Shepherd. The goal of the breeders of this line is simply to bring back the German Shepherd dogs to the way it was before. They aim to produce a line of dogs that looks and acts the same as its first ancestors. The old-fashion German Shepherd differs from the regular German Shepherd simply by its sheer size. A normal German Shepherd is around 24 to 26 inches tall. The old-style German Shepherds dwarf them by four more inches. So an old-fashion German Shepherd is about 30 inches in height and would weigh around 124 lbs. Though the features on the face are the same with regular German Shepherds, the old-fashion dogs have larger heads. The other physical attributes of this kind of breed include a straighter back, big bones, and no extreme angulation on the legs, giving it a noble and more poised look.

German Shepherds are used as working dogs in many areas such as search and rescue, police, the military, assistance dogs to the blind and handicapped and as guard dogs.

A Shepherd’s color is varied, but is primarily cream and brown or Blk & Rd. There is a white version but most organizations don’t recognize it as a valid color. Long haired German shepherds are also not recognized, as the long hair gene is recessive. German shepherds can be differentiated by individual behavior and abilities. Working dogs have their emphasis in service, while the show dogs emphasis appearance. There is a misconception that German shepherds are violent in nature; this is only due to poor training.

Although a German shepherd has powerful jaws and strong teeth, it develops a strong sense of loyalty and can be trained to attack and release on command.

Dogs used to working have high energy, and can seem unhappy if not exercised daily or trained to do a job. The international variety of German Shepherds has less energy and working ability and makes excellent pets.

German Shepherds are naturally prone to health problems like elbow and hip dysphasia, Von Willebrand’s disease and skin allergies. The average lifespan of a German shepherd is twelve years, and with the right pet/owner combination, those years will be priceless.


www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com





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Sunday, January 6th 2008

11:30 AM

What You Need To Know About The German Shepherd Dog!

The German invader!


Came from Alsace of Germany, brought by the returning American soldiers,invaded the hearts of dog-lovers all over the world, popularly known as the Alsatian (if you have guessed it is the German shepherd dog (GSD), you are right). Only few know Alsatian and the German shepherd are one and the same (a case of split personality? no, it so happened people called it by name Alsatian for years, then came awareness about dogs and its breeds, the elite dog keepers fashionably called their dogs “German shepherd”, whereas “ordinary” people still call their German shepherds as Alsatians ). There are


Too many cooks!


Classification: like in most of the cases there is no universally accepted norm. Different countries have different kennel associations like the kennel club of India (KCI), American Kennel Club (AKC), Australian National Kennel Club (ANKC) , New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), American Pet Registry Inc.(APRI), and so on. Only consensus among them regarding universal standards is lacking. The AKC has grouped these beauties in ‘Herding’ class; where as the FCI put them under ‘Group 1 Section 1 #166’, the CKC as ‘Group 7- Herding dogs’, The ANKC as ‘Group 5 (Working Dogs)’ and so on and on….


Listen to the father.


Breed Characters: German shepherd that compete in dog shows, must have an appearance that conforms with the guidelines of the individual kennel club as no universally accepted standards exists.

As per Max von Stephanitz, the ‘Father of the German Shepherd Dog’ - "The most striking features of a correctly bred German Shepherd are firmness of nerves, attentiveness, “shock-resistance”, tractability, watchfulness, reliability and incorruptibility together with courage, fighting tenacity and hardness."




Color conscious!


The GSD is handsome, well proportioned and very strong. The hair is a double-coat and can be either short or long haired. Although the black and tan saddle may be most recognizable, German Shepherds come in a variety of colors and patterns (not all are accepted by the various breed clubs is another thing!). Two toned German Shepherds can be black and tan, black and red, black and brown, black and silver, black and cream, blue and tan, or liver and tan. Solid colors may be black and solid white or any of the dilutes (liver, blue, or cream). Dogs with coats that have tricolored hair (black and white with either brown or red) are called sable. Sables can come in a variety of mixtures as well including black and silver, black and red, black and cream, and black and tan.

There are few more markings helpful for recognizing them.

1. 'striping' - black stripe markings on the legs found in some sables,

2. 'pencilling' - found on the sable as black lines on the top of the dog's toes,

3. 'tar heels' - black that runs down the back of the dog's legs, and

4. ‘bitch stripe’ - grey hairs along the back of a female or a neutered male.

Certain qualities desirable to ideal GSDs


Color

White is generally not an acceptable color for the German shepherd; however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd.


Head.


The head should be noble and in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little convex.


Eyes.


Eyes of medium size, almond shaped, set a little obliquely (not protruding), with a lively, intelligent expression. Color darker the better.

Ears.


Ears should be moderately pointed, wised at the base, in proportion to the skull, open toward the front, and held erect when at attention. The ideal carriage being one in which the center lines of the ears (as viewed from the front) should look parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. Ears that are not completely erect are considered as a disqualification (the ears of puppies less than six months may droop slightly).


Nose.


The nose is most often black, blue or liver rarely occur, but is considered taboo for shows.

It has a strong scissors bite

It has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light but solid bone structure.,

Its bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest.

Its front legs and shoulders are muscular; its thighs thick and sturdy. It has round feet with very hard soles.


Nature: Noble in appearance, character and purpose, a German shepherd is courageous, brave and has keen senses. These dogs are capable of warm companionship and are active and dignified. They befriend children once they get acquainted and are unconditionally loyal, obedient and protective and hardly ever run away. They do not allow intruders in their homes and can get along with other family pets and animals,. Sensitive to voice and intelligent enough to understand things quickly, German Shepherds are eager pupils.


The American line of a German hero.


First it was the American soldiers who brought German shepherd dogs (GSD) to their country as they were so impressed by the role they played for the German army in World war 1. From the army camps the German shepherds travelled a long way to reach the top notch among the best dog breeds.


German and Eastern European lines tend to be stockier, with shorter snouts and more muscular chests, and typify the working lines. The North American lines have a tendency towards a longer croup, longer back, higher wither and temperament making them ideal for companionship.


American GSD lines tend to have sharp angulation in the hind quarters, more so than any other breed. These angulation allow them to hop seamlessly with lesser touch on the ground. American lines tend to be bred for elegance and nobility. They are often less active and less dominant than their German counterparts, which make them better pets.


German line GSDs are generally stockier than their American counterparts and more moderate in both structure and movement without severe angulation as in American lines. They may not appear as graceful and dignified but instead have an air of muscular agility.
When the German lines are high-energy, high-intensity dogs, the American is Graceful and elegant companions.


Longevity: The life expectancy is about 13 years. A GSD becomes "middle-aged" between 5-7 years old, and is generally considered aged at about 10.

Exercise: GSDs require a lot of exercise; they can be reared in apartments provided there is provision for giving them the much needed exercise. Two hours a day will do.

Roles: The GSDs are excellent in Herding, they are ideal for the jobs like trekking, tracking, Searching, Rescue-duty etc. GSDs are extensively used as Guard Dogs and Guide Dogs. Their loyalty and affection make them good pets.


Some of the common ailments found in GSDs.


Hip dysplasia. This is caused by Genetic disorders can be diagnosed by early x-ray verification.
Hair-loss (Alopocia) due to several factors including deficiency of vitamins and minerals, Fungal and parasitic infestation or even the use of bad soaps. Carbolic acid based soaps are never to be used.
Ear-infections. The most common ailment, reason improper or no cleaning, better management of the ears can keep the ailment at bay.
Maggot- attack. Especially in hairy varieties small wounds and scars on the skin may go un-noticed which will turn out to be breeding ground for maggots (pest flies which lay eggs in animal wounds causing the wound to worsen)

A good dog is worth ten friends, keep it in ship shape and be a proud owner of a proud dog.

www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
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Friday, November 30th 2007

11:06 AM

Think You Know Enough To Breed Good Quality Puppies?

First let me tell you that it is very expensive and a lot of work.

If you don't have a male:

Breeding, and doing it right, is an expensive undertaking. By the time you've picked out a good bitch, waited for her to grow old enough (minimum age: two years before breeding), picked out the best dog to mate her with, gone through all the health checks she needs, ensured that the dog you want to use also passes the same health checks, you've invested a lot of time and effort. You still have to pay a stud fee (or give a puppy back), you have potential extra expenses during pregnancy, you have the time and expense of whelping (either you take time off from work or something goes wrong and you have to take her in to the vets).

You need to keep the puppies for a minimum of 8 weeks before sending them to their homes; you need to advertise and find good homes for the puppies, you need to make sure they have had their shots before going.

You may have possible vet bills if the puppies require extra attention. If some of the puppies die, or you have a smaller than usual litter, you may not get as much money from the sale of the puppies as you had though. There are even potential problems later on with dissatisfied customers! If you think your going to make a lot of money think again.

Breeders frequently count themselves lucky if they break even.

I want another dog just like Shep:

If you want to breed your dog so as to get another dog like yours, think about this for a moment. No matter how special your dog is to you, a puppy out of it is not guaranteed to be just like or even similar to your dog -- half its genes will be from another dog!

You will have to find another dog that also has the characteristics you want in your puppy; that dog will have to be unneutered; and the owner of that dog will have to be willing to breed her/his dog to yours. It is much easier, often less expensive, and certainly less time consuming to pick out an existing dog that you like from the shelter or another breeder. Best yet, go back to the same breeder of your dog, if possible, and pick another puppy out of similar lines.

But my dog is a purebred:

Well, yes, but that doesn't mean a whole lot. A registered dog, be it AKC, UKC, CKC, etc., simply means that it's parents (and their parents) are also registered with the same registry. This confers no merit in of itself, it simply means that the dog's parentage is known.

Most registries do not make any assertions of quality in the dogs they register (except for some limited breed-only registrations, but these are uncommon). They do not restrict the breeding of their dogs and hence there is no guarantee that a registered dog is a good specimen of its breed.

The AKC has just started a "limited registration" program whereby puppies out of such dogs are ineligible for registration. It remains to be seen what the overall impact on AKC dog breeds will be. Other registries have used similar programs with good results.

You should only breed when...?

The only reason you should be breeding is that you honestly feel that you are improving or saving the look of your breed by doing so. There are far too many dogs in the country to breed without good reason.

 A dog in a breeding program must be one whose genetic history you or its breeder is intimately familiar with. Such a dog must represent the best efforts of its breeder at that point. Such a dog must have good points to contribute, whether that is in good conformation, good performance or whatever.

Such a dog must be tested as it matures for any problems that tend to appear in its breed, whether that is hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, von Willebrand's, cataracts, PRA, fanconi syndrome, subaortic stenosis, etc.

Potential Hereditary Problems:

Every breed has a different set of potential problems for it. I have listed common ones below, but this is not to say that all dogs must be checked for everything listed. You need to do research in your breed to find out what the common problems are. You will also need to research the particular bloodlines you are using to see if they are prone to any additional problems you want to know about and screen for as well.

There are a variety of joint problems found in most breeds. Toy breeds can have joint problems too; just because your breed is smaller doesn't mean you can figure you are free of hip dysplasia and be done with it. There are several problems that specifically affect smaller dogs!

 * Hip dysplasia is probably the best known problem. This is a malformation or deterioration of the hip joint, so that the socket it sits in is too shallow to secure the head of the femur.

As the condition progresses, arthritic changes begin to destroy the protective cartilage and the dog may experience severe pain if the condition is bad enough. Some dogs are asymptomatic, but still should not be bred.

This condition primarily affects the medium-to-large breeds, but smaller breeds have been known to be affected, for example Cocker Spaniels and Shetland Sheepdogs can have this problem.

To make sure your dog is free of hip dysplasia, you need to have the hips radiographed and then obtain an expert analysis of the xrays. Your vet isn't necessarily the one to do this! In the US, you would mail the xrays to the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals and wait several weeks for their evaluation.

In Canada, Europe and Britain, there are equivalent programs, but all differ in the type of certification and age at which they will certify; some organizations certify after one year of age, others certify after two years of age.

 * Osteochondrosis Dessicans (OCD) is an elbow joint problem. A bone spur or a flake wears away at the joint which becomes stiff and painful. Xray evaluations of these joints are also needed. Many breeds that are prone to hip dysplasia may also have OCD.

 * Patellar Luxation is a problem affecting the kneecaps. Smaller dogs are more prone to this problem than larger ones are. The kneecap will slide out of place and lock the leg straight. Diagnosis is fairly straightforward and surgery can correct the problem, but no dog with patellar luxation should be bred as this is also an hereditary condition.

There are a few other types of problems, affecting other joints like the hocks, or affecting the spine, that you should be aware of in some breeds. This is only an overview to give you an idea of what kinds of problems are out there. Remember that joint problems, even if not hereditary, may make it problematic for a bitch to be bred.

Pregnancy is hard on the joints and on the body in general and if she isn't in the best of physical health, it is much kinder not to breed her.

Other things to check for:

 * In some breeds, deafness is a potential problem. Puppies at risk should be BAER tested and any that fail should be neutered.
 * Heart conditions in many breeds must be checked for. Subaortic stenosis (SAS), other malformations of the heart or valves.
 * Hemophilia type of problems, e.g., von Willebrand's disease and others.
 * Malabsorptive syndromes, digestive problems.
 * Epilepsy.
 * Allergies.
 * Incorrect temperament for breed.

Brucellosis:

Finally, remember that not only the potential dam but also the sire must be checked for all the things appropriate for their breed and particular bloodlines.

You must make sure the bitch and the stud both are free from brucellosis before breeding them. Brucellosis causes eventual sterility in both sexes (sometimes non-obviously) and can cause a litter of puppies to be aborted or die shortly after birth.

In addition, brucellosis is on occasion transmissible to humans via the urine or feces of an affected dog. Between dogs, it is most commonly passed in sexual intercourse, although an entire kennel can be infected through contact with secretions.

The sire should be in excellent general health. The dam must be in good health, to withstand the stresses and rigors of a pregnancy. They must both be up to date on their vaccinations.

Temperament:

Never breed any animal that has temperament problems. In particular, this has been the cause of the degeneration of many breeds general temperament: Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, and so on. If your animal is untrustworthy around people, overly aggressive to people, excitable, or is a fear-biter, do not breed it. If it is shy or submissive, don't breed it. Look for happy, confident and obedient animals, and consider carefully the particular temperament requirements for your dog's breed.

There are a variety of tests to indicate a dog's temperament. Many of the working breeds have a temperament test (for example, the Doberman's WAC test) for their breed. AKC has a Canine Good Citizen test (open to all dogs) that gives some indication of the dog's temperament (and, yes, training).

Therapy Dogs International and other Therapy Dog clubs have temperament testing that does try to separate out actual temperament from training. Obedience titles can be (but are not necessarily) an indication of good temperament.

Compatibility:

You must carefully consider each dog's pedigree for compatibility. Try to select strengths to offset weaknesses. Do not allow your bitch to be bred to an unsuitable dog, and conversely, be picky about the bitches you allow your dog to breed.

This phase alone requires considerable research to find a suitable candidate, and you should definitely work closely with a knowledgeable person, ideally the breeder of your dog. Simply because two dogs "look good" or even *are* good does not mean that they necessarily complement each other: suppose they are both carriers for the same disease? Suppose they both have a tendency to overbites or other disqualifying faults?

Be honest with yourself. If your dog is not a good representation of its breed, do not let it reproduce. It is much easier to improve a few faults than to try and get excellent pups with a mediocre dog.

When & How Often To Breed:

A bitch should only be bred every other year and she should not be bred much before two years of age. The season closest to the second birthday is a good one to start with; certainly no earlier than this. In some breeds, you may need to wait one more season before beginning. By this time, she is better prepared mentally for having puppies than she would have been with her first few seasons. Her physical growth is complete and pregnancy at this point won't endanger her health, provided that she is healthy to begin with.

In breeds with Hip Dysplasia, many people wait until after two years of age so that the parents can be certified; however if you have sent in xrays to OFA for preliminary evaluation and they came back as fine, many breeders consider it safe enough to then breed on the season closest to the second year, which can wind up being before the bitch is actually old enough to be certified. (And when the bitch is old enough, she is, of course, duly certified.) But the preliminary xrays must be examined by OFA, not by a local veterinarian. There are many dysplastic dogs out there that had vets look at their xrays and pronounce them "wonderful."

It's important, however, to keep the frequency of breeding low. Even at maximum, you want to allow at least one unbred season between breeding's. This allows your bitch to rest and regain her strength. A bitch that whelps too often will produce weaker puppies more likely to die, and the repeated pregnancies are pretty rough on her, too.
For dogs, they should definitely have all their certifications necessary.

For many breeds this means that they should be over two years old. Since a dog can be bred at any time, unlike bitches, waiting for two years is not a problem, whereas a bitch often has a season just before two years of age and then has to wait until 2.5 or three which sometimes presents problems in trying to time her litters.

 But this does not apply to a stud dog, so he should definitely have all of his checks and certifications before being bred. Frequency is not generally a problem although some dogs have problems with sperm production if they breed once a day for several days. They need top-quality feeding and care if they are going to be bred often.

Care of the Pregnant Bitch:

You should make sure the bitch is up-to-date on all her vaccinations, medications, and shots before she is bred. She will require supplementary food during the last three weeks or so of pregnancy. In general, puppy food is formulated both for puppies and pregnant or nursing bitches.

She should be under the care of a vet for any related problems. Dogs can have miscarriages. Illnesses, diseases, or infestations that the bitch picks up during her pregnancy can affect the puppies. Difficulties during whelping are entirely possible, and the rule for some breeds. You must be prepared to get her to the vet quickly in an emergency.

There are instances of "mummy puppies" where you have a puppy whose development went awry, but it was not aborted. Instead, it dries and shrivels up, and when born, looks like a mummified puppy, blackened and ready to rot. Overbreeding and inadequate care are usually the causes.

It is quite likely that the dam will come down with an infected uterus after such a puppy. "Water puppies" are another type of problem in which the dead puppy appears to have never properly developed a skeleton and appears to be full of gelatin. This seems to be linked to a viral exposure.

Other congenital (but not genetic) defects can include: no anus, cleft palates and hare lips. These conditions require corrective surgery or the puppy will die.

While the bitch is nursing the puppies, she will require about three times the amount of food she normally eats! It is also common for nursing mothers to go out of coat at this time.

Prewhelping preparations:

You should have a sturdy, clean, proper sized whelping box for the litter. It MUST include a "pig rail" around the edge to prevent the bitch from laying on or smashing her pups. It should be big enough to allow the bitch to turn around but small enough to prevent the pups from being "lost" in the unused portions. About six inches longer than she is, fore and aft, when laying prone (as in suckling her puppies) and about a foot on either side length wise.

To get the whelping box ready for your bitch, get a sheet of plastic, such as you would use for painting a ceiling to protect the floor. Cut it up into several pieces the size of the whelping box. Put one piece of plastic down, several layers of newspaper, another piece of plastic, more layers of newspaper and so on for four or five layers. Then when your bitch is whelping puppies, you can roll off a layer when it gets messy -- and it will! -- and throw it away to instantly clean the whelping box.

Postwhelping:

After the puppies are born, there are many strategies for lining the whelping box. Some people continue to use newspapers, but puppies get pretty dirty from both newspaper print and feces. Other people have had success with synthetic materials on top of absorbent materials: the synthetic material provides secure footing, but the urine and other liquids pass through it to leave it dry. Other people use pine shavings (about six inches deep). You will do a lot of laundering to keep things clean no matter what you use. You will also have to clean the feces out of the whelping box after your bitch decides that's no longer her job.

Newborn puppies MUST be kept warm. The temperature in the whelping box at birth should be 90 F. The temperature can then be decreased 2 degrees every other day. NEVER FEED A CHILLED PUPPY!!! If a puppy becomes chilled it will cry continually and it will tuck its tail between its little legs.

A healthy, happy, litter will "purr" like a swarm of bees and when feeding their tails will be straight out from their bodies. Warm any chilled puppy by putting the puppy under your shirt and under your armpit. The best method of warming a puppy is to use a special whelping box heating pad with a towel over it to prevent soiling the pad.

Make sure the temperature does not go too high. Heating lamps are OK but puppies can become dehydrated. If the litter clumps together and cries, they are too cold; if they separate and try to hide under shade, they are too hot.
Large litters will require supplemental feedings if you want all the puppies to survive. Your bitch may not be able to care for a very large litter. You will need to get the pups rotating on shifts.

For the first two weeks you may have to supplement as much as every four hours. Use a good prepared milk-supplement especially formulated for puppies. If you get in a bind you can use a goat-milk recipe available in most books about breeding and whelping pups. You may have to tube feed those pups that will not suckle from a bottle!

Finding A Good Home For Pups:

Are you going to remove the dewclaws or dock a tail? This must be done by 3 days old at the latest! Any later will not heal as nicely or quickly!

If you have a purebred litter, you must record the date of birth and all of the pups (including the dead ones) in your record book. Then you will need to fill out and send in your litter registration form. You want to do this as soon as possible, This can now be done over the Internet and take 2 weeks to return the forms for individual registration to you (which you will want to give to your puppy buyers later).

You will have to keep the whelping box clean. For the first two weeks the bitch will keep the pups pretty clean, but the bedding should be changed twice a day at minimum. Starting week three, the pups start to eliminate some on their own.. then you will need to clean much more often!

At four weeks, the pups usually become very active and it this time may require a larger area then the whelping box...you will need a large ex-pen or some way of confining them safely. You do have a place to keep them that they are safe in and can't destroy? Puppies at this stage can devastate a room or garage in hours.

At week five you will probably want to introduce the pups to weaning food. Usually you will have to mush up the dry dog food for the pups to be able to eat it. Use warm water and let the food stand in a bowl for about 2 hours.

At week six you should vaccination and worm the pups, and have them checked for heartmurmmers, hernias, males for testicles (yes you should be able to feel them at 6 weeks!), deafness, and eye problems.

You should be socializing now too... And are you going to do any puppy testing for temperaments? At seven weeks you should be calling up those people with deposits on your pups and getting your paper work all sorted out. Are your spay/neuter contracts ready? How about pictures of the pups for your clients?

And this is just if everything goes perfectly! What happens if one of the pups has a heart mummer, or a hernia? What about a deaf puppy? What if your whole litter gets parvo or distemper?

What happens if one of the pups is affected with "swimmer-puppy" syndrome? What about fading-puppy syndrome? What happens if your bitch gets an infection or mastitis? What if she dies?

Here Are Some Terms and Definitions You Should Know:

Inbreeding: is where the sire and the dam are closely related: mother to son, father to daughter, sister to brother, half sister to half brother, cousin to cousin. People disagree about the exact point at which inbreeding becomes linebreeding.

 Inbreeding is the quickest way to find out what poor genes are in the line and what dominant characteristics are in the line.

Although many people are disgusted with the idea of this family incest, it is an extremely useful tool for diagnosing what genes are present. If the genes for bad eyes are present, but hidden or recessive, this will bring them out to their full extent.

If there isn't any bad genes, then the puppies will be of very close uniformity and very able to reproduce themselves (theoretically). This is a homozygous breeding. The resulting puppies will have a lot of genetic material that is the same as their parents and grandparents and will be close genetically to each other.

Inbreeding doesn't introduce new genes and does not eliminate bad genes that the line already has. It only shifts them around like a Rubik cube. This often results in litters with high show potential, if the quality was high to begin with. It shows you what recessives you have lurking in the dogs' backgrounds -- both good and bad.

But there are drawbacks. Besides the possibility of bad recessives, inbreeding exclusively will eventually lead to infertility. It's like a Xerox machine. After so many copies, you have to renew the ink. The same with dogs, you have to introduce new genes. No reputable breeder will use inbreeding exclusively, and many breeders simply never use it. Usually, you will only find: very experienced breeders, ignorant breeders, and puppy mills making use of this technique.

Inbreeding increases the chance that a gene obtained from the sire will match one obtained from the dam, both stemming from the common ancestor(s) on which the individual was inbred. Thus, inbreeding tends to make animals homozygous rather than heterozygous. The inbreeding coefficient measures the resulting increase in homozygousity.

All breeds have a given degree of homozygosity the mating of two dogs from the same breed would not produce a recognizable specimen of the breed!
Inbreeding increases homozygosity and decrease heterozygosity.

So it can duplicate both desirable and harmful alleles, both of which can be unsuspected in the line, and may appear. Inbreeding does NOT create anomalies, it brings present anomalies to the surface. Even when the anomalies are present, inbreeding might not reveal them. However, once revealed, then the breeder can do something about them in the next generations of breeding.

An increase in harmful recessives is undesirable but it is not a major drawback if they are identified early. The effect of inbreeding on major polygenic traits is greater. Generally, traits that are highly inherited (ie largely additively controlled) are not adversely affected by inbreeding but, traits under non-additive control, especially those tied to dominance and thus not of high heritability, are often markedly harmed by inbreeding.

Line breeding: is when the sire and the dam are distantly related: e.g., grandsire to granddaughter, granddam to grandson, second cousins, half cousins, uncle to niece, aunt to nephew..... The general strategy is that there is a common ancestor that is being doubled up on both sides. So the desired dog appears several times in the pedigree.

This is probably the most common strategy in breeding purebred dogs (and in developing new breeds, for that matter). Though this method, new genes are slowly introduced and unwanted genes are slowly replaced. The actual rate varies by how strongly you line breed. It sacrifices little overall quality in terms of show quality. Usually the puppies are rather close in general conformation.

The only problem with this method is that it often takes several generations to get poor genes out, (or adding desired genes in) resulting in many puppies that have the same genetic problems (or virtues) that their parents have. And then because some breeders are more interested in winning, they do not place the affected puppies on spay/neuter contracts.

This is both a blessing and a curse for the breed. If the breeder is very careful, affected pups can be used wisely to prevent loss of quality, but still remove the affected genes by only breeding the affected pups to known non-carrier relatives. This way the breeder can again try to "edit out" the bad genes. It takes longer this way but less show quality is lost in the process. This process results in dogs that will often reproduce their same level of quality. This is referred to as reaching homozygous litters (more genes of the same kind apparent in the puppies).

Inbreeding and linebreeding really differ only in degree. Linebreeding is less likely to cause harm than inbreeding. Inbreeding is not for novices. Knowledge of genetics and the breed is required for success. For good results it must be well-planned and breeders must be ready for whatever problems it presents.

Outcrossing is where the sire and dam are totally unrelated, preferably for three or four generations. The true form of an outcross is between two entirely different breeds because in reality the members of most registered breeds come from a common ancestor (although it may be many, many generations back).

It is very rare for outcrossed puppies to be uniform in appearance. Usually there are a very large ranges of sizes, coats, colors, markings, and other distinctive characteristics. Outcrossed litters are generally heterozygous, and do not reliably reproduce themselves, so even the nicest puppy in the litter may not later produce the best puppies.

Outcrossing: is generally used to introduce something new to a line -- a better head, better colors, better front, etc. Usually the puppies retained from these breeding's are bred back into the breeder's original line to standardize them back into the line's general characteristics and reproducibility -- with the one desired characteristic. The tricky part is that other characteristics may come along for the ride!

If you are dedicated enough, you can eventually continue breeding by outcrossing alone (but don't expect instant or quick results). You should pick dogs that complement eachother well and are similar in general appearance. This is a long hard road to eventually developing a line. Through outcrossing, many health problems can quickly be eliminated (or just as quickly added into your breeding), but usually you do sacrifice some show quality and producibility.

You have to remember that dogs that appear totally healthy may be carriers of genetic problems. To find this out, test mating is done to a dog that is affected with the genetic problem (resulting usually in puppies that are both affected and non-affected carriers) or by inbreeding to a related dog that also doesn't show the signs of being affected (usually littermates are used) this will usually result in some puppies free of the problem, some puppies as carriers, and some puppies affected if both dogs carry the problem gene (this is not as accurate as breeding to an affected dog, but you are less likely to have to put all the puppies down).

There are variations on outcrossing. A "true" outcross could be a dog that has totally unrelated dogs bred together throughout the pedigree. This is very rare. On the other hand, "linecrossing" is a form of outcrossing where dogs from unrelated lines are bred to produce a new line. The sire and dam are usually very linebred from their prospective lines and the resulting puppies are varied in appreance, some looking like the sire's line and some looking like the dam's line and some looking like mixtures of both lines.

The bottom line is unless your very wealthy or very dedicated person with plenty of time on your hands leave the breeding to the breeders who are already breeding. Educate yourself so that you can pick a great pup for you and your family and enjoy.

www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
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Thursday, November 1st 2007

9:22 AM

What Makes Your Dog Scratch Like Crazy?

You're about to discover the terrifying-truth about commercial dog food that is linked to the deaths of thousands of dogs across the US every single day.


Many world-famous Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and published Dog Care Experts universally agree any dog that eats commercial dog food is at a much higher risk of dying prematurely and by the time symptoms are noticeable, it's often too late to prevent an agonizing death except by lethal injection.
See Foods: www.asuperiorgsd.com/dog.food.html


What's causing your dog to itch? It's probably dog allergies. But is it food, dust mites ... or you? There are hundreds of possibilities.
Here's how to rule out some of them, and get down to the likeliest ones. Once you know what's causing the itch, you can take action to provide your dog with some much-needed relief.

There are only a few causes of year-round canine allergies:

Food. This is the first thing many people think of as causing canine allergies. But it's actually one of the least likely. True food allergies are uncommon in dogs, with only about 15% of allergic dogs being allergic to food.

A dog may be sensitive to a protein source in his food, or to the protein part of grains such as wheat, soy or corn. Wheat gluten is another one which frequently causes some dog itching and scratching problems. If you have an itchy dog, avoid foods with soy.

Try switching to a food with a different protein source, or with a different grain content than you've been feeding. Test this food for 6 weeks and see if there's any difference. If food does seem to be the problem, rotate different foods through your dog's diet.

Canine allergies develop after exposure to an ingredient, and the more exposure, the more likely an allergy will develop.
If your dog is itching, another food-related cause may be mold. Molds grow on wheat, corn, and peanut hulls used in pet food.

These produce toxic by-products called mycotoxins, which can suppress the immune system, leading to dog itching problems.

Mold. If you live somewhere humid, or if your kitchen and bathroom are unventilated, mold spores may be causing your canine to itch.

Mold grows wherever and whenever there is moisture. Depending on where you live and what your drainage conditions are like, this can be seasonal or year-round. The itching follows the mold growth.

If your house has ever flooded, or if the basement gets wet, you could be in for some nasty black mold called Stachybotros. In quantity, that one can sicken and kill dogs, children and adults, too.

Other, less toxic molds, such as Penicillium, are more common. Molds vary by region, but all can cause allergic reactions in people and animals.

What to do? Keep the humidity low in your house by running the air conditioner regularly. Fix any leaks. Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom after showering, and, when cooking, use the one over the stove (make sure it vents outside).

Check your air conditioning unit to make sure there's no rust buildup in the condenser pan (where the air blows over the coils and moisture condenses and drains out). Make sure the drain is unclogged, and pour a few tablespoons of bleach down the drain pipe every few months to keep it clean. To further reduce mold, install an electrostatic furnace filter and use it.


There's usually no need to clean the ducts, unless you've had a severe mold problem, or if the moisture situation hasn't been resolved. Clean out mold, mildew and dust wherever you find it: bathrooms, mini-blinds, bookshelves, ceiling fan paddles, electronics.
 
Other animals. Yes, your dog may be allergic to your cat! Male and long-haired cats put out more allergen than female and shorthaired cats. The allergen is known as FelD1 (pronounced feldy-one by those in the know). This protein is found in cat saliva, and to a lesser degree, in their anal sacs. When the cat licks himself, the saliva dries and flakes off, then floats away.

Cat allergen is very lightweight, and very sticky. It sticks to walls, furniture, carpet and drapes. It's also a very potent allergen, and it's persistent: it'll stay active in a home environment for at least 10 years.

Best bet: bathe the cats regularly (monthly, if they'll tolerate it). Allerpet® C, and DanderSeal® are products which are supposed to seal the allergen to the body, but nothing beats a bath.<br>

Another great product is Allersearch X-Mite powder (order from Aller-caire, 800-547-8095). Sprinkle the powder on the carpet and furniture, let it sit a few hours, then vacuum it up.

The powder contains tannic acid (from tea) to denature the cat allergen down at dog level. (It may stain white carpet and fabric, so be careful.) There's also an Allersearch spray for surfaces (not cats).

A cat-allergic friend sprays the area around his chair when he visits cat families. That keeps him safe for several hours.

HEPA air filters have also been shown to trap a large amount of the cat allergen which floats through the air. ( the best is the Cloud 9® Sterile Aire®. Aller-caire has the best prices.)

People. That's right. Your dog may be allergic to you or other family members. People put out allergen, just like cats. It's in our skin, which flakes off throughout the day and night. (Extreme case: dandruff.) The owner of an allergy testing lab for animals said that, at one time, 40% of dogs' blood tested by his lab indicated a probable allergy to human allergen.

The solution in this case: allergy shots. (These were discontinued for some years, due to government concern about injecting human cells into other humans in the form of allergy shots. AIDS was the worry. They're available again.)

Other dogs. As with cats and people, other dogs, birds, and furry critters are possible allergy-inducers. Again, keeping everybody clean makes a difference. One other tidbit: Dogs who spend a lot of time outside can bring pollen in on their fur. One good shake and it spreads throughout the house. Keep them clean!

Seasonal dog allergies. This is the most common cause of dog itching and scratching. They usually develop after a couple of years of exposure, if they're going to develop at all. No one really understands why one individual will develop allergies, while the next one won't. Genetics are thought to play a part, since allergies often run in families.

Repeated exposure is important, too. Other scientists theorize that it may have something to do with immunizations given at an early age, or with lack of exposure to certain diseases at an early age. We're learning a lot about the immune system, but there's a whole lot more to explore.

Pinpointing the cause of seasonal allergies is best done with a "scratch test" at the vet's office. Pollen extracts are injected just under a shaved area of skin, and reactions are noted a few minutes later. This usually runs a few hundred dollars.

 You can zero in on some of the culprits yourself, for much less. One question to ask is, "What am I allergic to?" For some reason, people and pets are often allergic to the same things.

If that's not the case, do a little bit of sleuthing. First, turn on your local TV news and watch the weather segment. There's a good chance they'll give an allergy report, which will tell you which pollens (or mold) are a problem that day.

By tracking the daily pollen count to see what's highest when your dog is scratching, you'll have a good idea of what's causing the allergy.

In general, though, the earliest spring pollens are the tree pollens, followed by grass pollen (which lasts into the summer). Interestingly, flower pollen is usually not a problem -- and neither is very large-sized pollen, such as from pine trees.

Insects. When allergists talk about seasonal allergies, they're usually referring to seasonal pollens. But insects are also a seasonal issue.

Summertime is bug season, and, when the temperature hits 80 degrees F., and the humidity hits 80%, mosquitos and fleas start to "pop." These pests bite, and their saliva gets injected under the skin. The body reacts to these alien proteins, and the skin becomes inflamed and itchy.

Spraying a permethrin fogger in the yard ( like Raid® Yard Guard) will kill these guys nicely. (Use sparingly around cats -- high doses of permethrin can kill them.) Be sure to spray shady areas and tall grass, where mosquitos and fleas hide.

I also recommend using one of the new wave of veterinary-sold flea products on your pets. Advantage®, Frontline Topspot®, and the new Revolution® are all very effective and safe for dogs with allergies. (Only occasionally will there be an allergic reaction where these products are applied.) Frontline also works on ticks. Revolution is even better, killing ticks, ear mites, and the mites responsible for that itchy skin problem, demodectic mange. Revolution also replaces heartworm preventive.

 
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com




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Wednesday, October 10th 2007

4:50 AM

Are You Responsible Enough To Own A Great Dog?

If your not a good dog person: I want to scare you away from the German Shepherd breed of dogs. I do not want to see German Shepherds in shelters because you do not know what your doing by becoming a dog owner.

Unstable temperaments. German Shepherd Dogs are a dime a dozen, and most of them are bred and offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea of how to breed good-tempered dogs. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of German Shepherds with neurotic behaviors, including aggression, biting, sharpness, and/or extreme fearfulness.

Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. German Shepherds MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by destructive chewing. Bored German Shepherds can make a shambles of your house and yard.

Providing enough socialization. Most German Shepherds have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without careful socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, which could lead to biting. Some German Shepherds go in the opposite direction -- without enough socialization, they become fearful of strangers, which can lead to defensive biting.

Animal aggression. Some German Shepherds are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Some have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.

Heavy shedding. German Shepherds shed only once a year -- for 365 days. In other words, they shed constantly. You'll find hair and fur all over your clothing, upholstery, carpeting, under your furniture, on your counter tops -- Frequent vacuuming will become a way of life. Make sure you're REALLY up for this.

Serious health problems. From hip and elbow problems, to bone diseases and cancer, to stomach disorders and skin diseases, German Shepherds are one of the riskiest of all breeds in the health department.

Legal liabilities. German Shepherds may be targeted for "banning" in certain areas, or refusal of homeowner insurance policies. In this day and age, the legal liabilities of owning any breed that looks intimidating and has a history as a guard dog should be seriously considered. People are quicker to sue if such a dog does anything even remotely questionable.

 * There are energetic German Shepherds, and placid ones.
 * Hard-headed German Shepherds, and sweet-natured German Shepherds.
 * Serious German Shepherds, and good-natured goof balls.
 * Introverted German Shepherds, and German Shepherds who love everyone.

Now if all of this has not scared you away from the German Shepherd read on.

Some German Shepherd bloodlines are "hard" and businesslike, while others are calmer and milder.

The German Shepherd is one of the most capable and trainable breeds in all of dogdom, exceedingly eager to learn and work, the German Shepherd, when well-trained by a confident owner, can excel at high levels of competition."

Responsible, knowledgeable breeders breed dogs together only when BOTH dogs have been medically tested for genetic health problems.

Which health problems varies from breed to breed. A responsible, knowledgeable breeder knows which tests are required for his breed.

Responsible, knowledgeable breeders breed dogs together only when BOTH dogs have excellent temperaments, i.e. not nervous, timid, shy, hyperactive, or aggressive.

Responsible, knowledgeable breeders sell their own puppies, right from their own home. They NEVER place a puppy in a pet shop or give it to a "broker" to sell "on consignment."

German Shepherds will do fine in an apartment if they have sufficient exercise. They do need a job though so even in a home with a yard, these dogs should have something to do so they feel needed.

Ten Commandments for the Responsible Pet Owner

1. My life is likely to last l0 to l5 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me--it's crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment. I HAVE ONLY YOU!

 5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll NEVER forget it.

7. Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart may be getting old and weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old. You, too, will grow old.

10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say "I can't bear to watch it" or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for ME if you are there. Remember, I love you.

As A German Shepherd owner you need to be a pack leader.

If you do not know what that means or how to be a pack leader I would suggest you read Be The Pack Leader by Cesar Millan AKA The Dog Whisperer this will give you some incite to your dog as well as to yourself.
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Tuesday, October 2nd 2007

5:55 PM

What You Need To Know Before Buying A German Shepherd Puppy


  
Most breeders advertise that they are promoting good temperament. But what does this really mean? Everyone wants it, promotes it, advertises it, but can they define what they mean.

 Temperament means something just a little different to everyone. Because everyone has a slightly different idea, I recommend that when we talk about temperament, we need to specifically describe the qualities we are referring to in this term.

Good temperament to me means a dog who is alert, and confident, playful, eager to please, intelligent, even intuitive. Shep, for example, seems to know who he can rough-house with (my daughter) and who he can't (Grandmother).

"Bad temperament" is the opposite -- fearful, distracted, overly aggressive, not bright, not safe.
Fortunately I've had very little experience with bad temperament dogs. I think you can mistreat any dog and make it fearful and bitey, but it seems that if you get a dog with good breeding and you socialize him/her and treat them appropriately, the good breeding just comes through.

For any given situation or stimulus, there is a range of reactions that any dog may have. A dog with bad temperament shows reactions that are more extreme because it reacts to the situation or stimulus with emotions & instincts, rather than using its brain which might otherwise temper the resulting behavior.

At least I think that fear is an emotion, and I do believe that dogs have that. I also think that a happy dog with it's tail wagging is also expression some emotion. I do recognize that emotions & instincts are very closely related in animals, but I think it's fair to assume that they have both.

One way or the other, my definition wasn't implying that emotions are more (or less) significant than instincts.
In response to the question about how much is genetic vs. how much is socialization, I think the only safe answer is, "A dogs response to a situation or stimulus may be affected by either genetics or socialization, but genetics plays a far stronger role than it does in humans.

Since humans have much stronger powers of reason & logic, and we have language that we use for schooling, humans can hide their genetics better than any other species."
How's that? It doesn't give any absolute percentage, which is why I said it was a 'safe answer.' "
 
"Good Temperament:
is born of natural confidence, the strength to overcome fear (note: not the absence of fear!) and a very strong desire to please the alpha and preserve the pack. A dog with good temperament to me is one who is able to perceive a threat with discrimination and intelligence and looks to his master for guidance yet is capable of independent thought where necessary; is socially confident with other dogs; is reliably tolerant of unpredictability.

Bad Temperament:
is often born of overwhelming fear, mistrust and insecurity producing a low threshold for defense / avoidance. Sometimes it is born of raw highly strung nerves, desire for the alpha position, fearlessness and absence of sociability producing a low threshold for fight. To me, bad temperament is shown in a dog who is unable to discriminate in his perception of a threat, is unable to tolerate unpredictability, can not be taught how to socially interact with other dogs, is unable to bond with his master (through his own temperament fault or the master's!) and feels the only way to keep "threats" away from him is to bark and snap.

Weak nerves (is that the same as bad temperament?) are shown in a dog who cowers behind his masters legs on his belly with ears back, or one who hackles up, peels his lips back over his teeth, ears back and snarls / barks at the side of his master.
- the causes of good/bad temperament (genetic and environment)
- the importance of imprinting from good / bad / no mother
- the effect of social development and early weeks imprinting
- what further effects can be had with good / bad training.
In my opinion dogs like people have certain genetic emotional responses that are shaped to varying degrees from birth to death.

That may be why many people talk about training being a factor in temperament.

When I think of temperament in dogs I usually am thinking of dogs that have not been unduly influenced by their surroundings. You could take a dog with basically good temperament and abuse it enough to make it nervous and aggressive. You could improve a nervous dog with some confidence training. In both cases a reversal of those conditions could tend to bring back the genetic traits or temperament.

1. Good temperament is a calm and clear headed emotional response to most conditions that are not at the fight or flight level.
2. Bad temperament is a nervous, frightened or aggressive emotional response to the same conditions that would not normally be at the fight or flight level.
 
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
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Saturday, September 15th 2007

9:12 PM

To Save Your Dog & Family Please Read This.

If you want to see true happiness just look at the face of a child when they hold their new German Shepherd puppy in their arms for the first time. But that can also be the start of the worst time in your life if you picked the wrong puppy.

Can you see yourself walking into a car dealership and announcing you want a car. Well that's makes about as much sense as going to a German Shepherd breeder any saying I want a German Shepherd. Like cars there many different types of German Shepherds you may see them here: http://www.shawlein.com/The_Standard/13_Breed_Type/Breed_Types.html

What you should first learn is the The term temperament it refers to a dog's general demeanor. In general, it's much easier to predict a pure bred dog's temperament than that of a mixed breed.

As with size, the general temperament of any  purebred German Shepherd dog is usually well known to breeders and veterinarians. Some terms used to describe dog temperaments include: aloof, loyal, dominant, aggressive, independent, gentle, intense. However, as with people, dogs can be quite individual!

If you do have your heart set on getting a puppy, here are a few tips on how to pick one from a litter.

1. Confident?

    * Try and call the puppy to you by kneeling down, clapping gently and calling to him.

      A confident puppy will come readily, tail up and attempt to play with your hands.

2. Independent?

    * Stand up and walk away from the pup in a normal manner. Make sure the pup sees you walk away.

      Not following indicates independence, which may make training difficult later on.

3. Dominant or Submissive?

    * Crouch down and gently roll the pup on his back and hold it with one hand for a full 30 seconds. Fierce resistance, such as flailing and crying out indicates difficulty with submission Let pup stand up and gently stroke him from the head to back while you crouch beside him. Continue stroking until a recognizable behavior is established.

      The pup may try to dominate by jumping, nipping or growling, or may accept your dominance by cuddling up and trying to lick you.

    * Bend over and cradle the pup under its belly, fingers interlaced, palms up and elevate just off the ground. Hold it there for 30 seconds.

      Again, fierce struggling and growling are indications that the dog has a tendency to be dominant, and little or no struggle indicates submission.

Dominant dogs may have aggressive tendencies, both with people and other dogs. They do not make good pets for children or the elderly. There could be difficulties teaching the dog "its place" in the social order of your household. These dogs should only be considered by someone who has experience with dominant dogs.

Pups that submit readily and avoid eye contact may be overly submissive and aren't a good choice for a first-time dog owner. They will need special handling to build confidence and bring them out of their shells. These pups do not adapt well to change. They do best in very structured environment. They are usually safe around children but may bite if severely stressed.

Ideally, pups should struggle a bit, and then settle with some eye contact.

4. Retriever?

    * Crouch beside pup and attract its attention with crumpled up paper ball. When the pup shows interest and is watching, toss the object 1 to 2 meters in front of pup.

      There is a high correlation between ability to retrieve and willingness to work with a human.

5. Sensitive?

    * Take puppy's webbing of one front foot and press between finger and thumb lightly, then more firmly till you get a response, while you count slowly to 10. Stop as soon as puppy pulls away or shows discomfort.

      If the puppy starts squirming in less than a 3-4 seconds, it is very sensitive to touch. If you're looking for a "snuggle-bunny", this may not be the right dog for you.

    * Make a sharp noise a few feet from the puppy.

      Cringing and/or attempting to hide may indicate the puppy is shy. If the puppy ignores the sound, he may have a hearing problem. Ideally, the pup will try and locate the sound and show some curiosity about it.

    * Place pup in centre of room. Tie a string around a large towel and jerk it across the floor a few feet away from the puppy.

      Running away and hiding is not a good sign!

It requires a great deal of extra work to help a "spooky" dog adapt to new situations or sudden changes. Some dogs can become very aggressive if they are frightened, so delicate handling will be required to prevent this from happening.


Dogs are pack animals, and each pack needs a leader.  Someone who establishes and enforces the rules. With any dog it's important that YOU, the human, assume the role of leader. If you aren't willing to be the leader, breeds that are dominant in temperament are more that willing to step into that position of leadership. As a matter of fact, dogs from dominant breeds will often challenge your position as leader, and try to "move up the chain" by challenging your spouse and children for their places within the pack.   

If you see that your favorite breed of dog is dominant and you have children living in your home under the age of 8-10, wait until your children are older to get this breed. You also must consider your children's temperament. The best owners for dominant breeds are confident leaders. "My house, my rules" or "Because I'm the mom/dad, and I said so" are their mottos. If your children share this strength and ability, then the dominant breed may indeed be the breed for you. If a timid or tender gene has slipped through the gene pool to one of your offspring, you'll want to consider getting a breed with a less dominant temperament. You can not have your dog thinking he/she ranks higher than any human member of your pack.


A dog's world is built based on a pack identity.  Wolves in the wild can not survive alone, they must live together in a pack.  Within the pack there is one leader, and below him the pack has an ordered hierarchy.  Dogs are very comfortable with this arrangement.  In a dog's mind, the world is full of leaders and followers. Fido knows that if you aren't the leader, then it's up to him to define the rules.  This is the basis of most dog/owner problems.  

Dogs don't need self-help books. The dominant dog does not seek to be more submissive and vice versa.  If you don't exert your authority over your dog, he won't wring his paws and worry about how to not hurt your feelings.  He'll take charge.  This is why choosing the correct dog is so important

If you would like to see what true German Shepherds use to look like check this out http://www.asuperiorgsd.com/p2p.html

www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com

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